Humboldt Crabs: Lefty Andrew Nelson throws six shutout innings to lead the way

ARCATA &GT;&GT; For many of the Humboldt Crabs players, Saturday night was their first chance to show what they're capable of. For left-hander Andrew Nelson, it was more of a reintroduction.

And based on the way he pitched in the 2014 season opener, the Crabs are glad he's back in town wearing their jersey.

Nelson, who was a member of the Humboldt pitching staff two summers ago, threw six shutout innings of one-hit ball, leading the Crabs to a 10-0 win in eight innings over the visiting Fairfield Indians at the Arcata Ball Park to give Tyson Fisher his first win as manager.

"I really couldn't have asked for much more than that," Nelson said. "You couldn't write it any better."

The lone blemish, a first-inning single to Fairfield first baseman Mark Mills, was quickly erased when Nelson snagged a lined shot right back to the mound by the next hitter, right fielder Dareion Evans, to end the inning.

From then on, Nelson allowed just two runners to reach base — one on a walk and the other on a fielder's choice in the top half of the second.

"He was very, very good," Fisher said of Nelson. "He gave us the effort we needed tonight. He's a local guy who gets it."

Nelson, who finished the game with the one walk and struck out six, retired the final 12 batters he faced, as the Indians' lineup went down quietly in almost every trip to the plate.

It's no surprise that it came when Nelson felt like he really found his groove on the mound.

"I'd say probably around the third inning," Nelson said when asked about when he got truly locked in. "I got the feel for my off-speed pitches around the third and I just kinda cruised from there."

But was the Arcata High grad nervous about taking the ball in the season opener for the hometown team?

"I wouldn't say I was nervous, but the energy was definitely up," Nelson said. "Just to be here in front of these fans is great."

With Nelson throwing well, the offense gave their starter plenty of support.

The Crabs struck first in the bottom of the fourth inning, getting back-to-back doubles from catcher John McCasland and third baseman AB Blanchett — whose run-scoring double went to the 394-foot mark in left-center field.

"Early on, their guy (starter Julian Clarke) was good," Fisher said, "but that double-double in the fourth gave us some life."

Their very next trip to the plate, the Crabs put plenty breathing room in between themselves and the Indians.

Humboldt scored four runs on four hits, knocking Clarke out of the game before he could finish five innings of work.

After a pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases with nobody out, leadoff hitter Beau Bozett doubled the Crabs' lead with an RBI single to center field. First baseman Alex Crosby brought in the second run of the inning with a run-scoring single of his own, and then McCasland drilled a sac fly to center to give Humboldt a 4-0 lead.

McCasland went a perfect 3 for 3 at the plate, finishing a home run short of hitting for the cycle. Bozett, Crosby and designated hitter Luis Bressoud — who is also an Arcata High alum — drove in a pair of runs, as Humboldt finished the game with 13 hits.

"It's great to get the first one out of the way," said Fisher, whose team faces the Indians today at 12:30 p.m. to wrap up the quick two-game series to open the season. "Our pitchers pitched well, our hitters hit the ball."